Those who view China merely as the “world’s factory” are still looking at a country that no longer exists. Over the past decades, the Asian giant has become a continental-scale laboratory, capable of conceiving proprietary chips, training foundational models of artificial intelligence, creating vertical digital ecosystems, and deploying applications for hundreds of millions of people in a matter of weeks. It is more than technology: it is culture, strategy, and execution.
I was able to observe all of this up close, as I immersed myself in companies such as Huawei, Alibaba Cloud, Meituan, Kwai, SenseTime, and Nio, as well as in innovation centers in Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. I also participated in the 8th World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which brought together global leaders around the theme of “Global Solidarity in the AI Era.” Field experience allowed me to witness how technology, culture, and strategy intertwine to create impact on a national scale.
The Chinese machinery starts well before the first prototype. Culture and education are at the core. In a country that was never colonized and carries over 5,000 years of history, trust relationships are built slowly, but execution, when decided, is swift. Work follows an intense pace (the famous 9/9/6 model), and education is treated as a strategic vector of innovation, with pressure and investment to train talents on a massive scale.
This cultural foundation intersects with a business and government ecosystem operating in a coordinated manner. For example, Huawei allocates 20% of its revenue to R&D and develops its own AI models; Alibaba Cloud vertically integrates its entire technology stack and created the Qwen model family; Meituan fulfills 150 million daily orders by combining multiple services into a super app; and Kwai already connects over 60 million users in Brazil to social commerce, a phenomenon that accounts for more than 25% of e-commerce in China. Models like the X27 (shopping transformed into a mega live commerce studio) and vehicles like those from Nio, with robotically removable batteries in 3 minutes (BaaS, battery as a service system) and integrated virtual assistants, illustrate how innovation permeates whole sectors.
What impresses is not only what China creates but the speed and scale at which it applies. AI models trained for specific sectors are quickly put into operation, and autonomous agents are already present in retail, healthcare, mobility, and public administration. All supported by a data infrastructure and digital penetration that exceeds 99% of the population.
On the other hand, Brazil advances in a more fragmented manner. We have technical talent, creativity, and a significant domestic market, but face structural barriers: slower regulatory frameworks, still timid investments in R&D, and little integration between government, companies, and the university. Our digitalization is progressing, but without the same technological vertical integration and without a robust national strategy that aligns sectors and defines long-term priorities.
Of course, the Chinese model is not simply replicable. It is deeply rooted in its history, political system, and culture. But there are clear lessons: invest heavily and continuously in research; think of technology as a sovereignty asset; create mechanisms for companies to innovate not only in products but also in infrastructure and standards; and, above all, coordinate efforts, understanding that digital competitiveness is built with a vision spanning decades, not just mandates.
The world is moving towards an era where artificial intelligence, data integration, and applied innovation will define not only markets, but also each nation’s place on the geopolitical map. China has already grasped this and is executing. Brazil has the basis to learn quickly and apply with ambition. How can we implement, with coordination and speed, what is already proven to gain global competitiveness?
*Gustavo Pinto is a senior researcher at Zup Labs, a team dedicated to research and development (R&D) in Generative Artificial Intelligence, conducting applied research for Zup, a technology company part of the Itaú Unibanco group, and its clients. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UFPE, Gustavo has authored over 100 scientific papers in software engineering.
